When I moved to Aurora, Colorado, in the early 1980s my first job was at Wag’s Restaurant in the Aurora Mall. Like Woolworth’s, Wag’s had a soda fountain. We had table service, or patrons could sit on stools along the front counter. The restaurant was cheerful, and everybody enjoyed the familiar ice cream-parlor atmosphere. Our […]
Category Archives: Ask Chef Phyllis
19
Aug
Aug
Ask Chef Phyllis While traveling in Germany and France many years ago, we had the good fortune to eat in a small town near the French border. Their specialty was a steak, so tender and succulent, with onions and potatoes. I’m not sure if you ever answer questions like this, but can you shed some […]
30
Jul
Jul
It’s summertime, and some of us are still in self-quarantine. On a happy note, this is a wonderful opportunity to cook and nurture our bodies and our souls. Life is good, and staying well is good. I hope our lives return to a new normal that we can appreciate soon. The Italians are amused by […]
21
Jul
Jul
When I receive more than three emails from readers on the same subject—especially when they’re requesting recipes that go beyond mac and cheese or beans and rice and want more exotic fare—my interest is piqued. Lately, I’ve been seeing a lot of interest in vegetarian casseroles. It crossed my mind recently that casseroles have lost […]
08
Jul
Jul
It’s been ages since I’ve even thought of making Christmas breads. But now, with our world turned upside down, many of us have been making our own bread—so I thought, why not? These aromatic and spicy loaves are simple to make. Although it’s a yeast dough, the process is still uncomplicated, and your dough hook […]
25
Jun
Jun
When it comes to leftovers, it often seems that the husbands rather than the children don’t want to eat yesterday’s meal. (But as I’m fond of saying, this is the meat and potatoes of another post.) My dear readers, perhaps you’re old enough to remember that ladies’ luncheons in the 1960s always served chicken divan. […]
17
Jun
Jun
I will be the first to admit it. Before this pandemic, I hadn’t made a meatloaf in years. Perhaps I think of this dish now because I long for the comfort food of my youth and the memories that surround it. I used to love a good meatloaf for an evening dinner, along with mashed […]
03
Jun
Jun
Ask Chef Phyllis My family loves a good chicken dish. They demand chicken breasts, although my mother always bought whole chicken and used every part. I usually make chicken breasts in the slow cooker, and though it’s good, the breasts get too dry and lack flavor after six hours in the pot. I have a […]
27
May
May
Here’s a novel idea: a sumptuous dessert from your already depleted pantry. And it’s easier than you ever imagined. Did your mom ever make fruit cobblers? Or perhaps a baked apple with cinnamon and raisins in the middle? Nothing is easier than a baked apple, and in my opinion, nothing appeals to the senses quite […]
Ask Chef Phyllis
Food in a Troubled World:
New England Clam or Fish Chowder from the Pantry or Freezer
20
May
May
Practice is “the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it.” What can you put into practice? If you are of Italian, French, or Greek ancestry, perhaps you were raised as I was, with your conversations revolving around food—good food, fresh from the garden, and the […]
14
May
May
Ask Chef Phyllis What can you tell me about whipping cream that I’ve already opened and has been in my fridge a little past its “best use” date? In this time of stay at home, I do not wish to waste anything. It smells fine, but it’s thicker than when I opened it. Can I […]
29
Apr
Apr
I woke up Wednesday morning with the notion that all was well. But then in a New York minute, I remembered that I’m living through a pandemic—never before known by my generation or, for that matter, anyone I know. (My dad talked of the Great Depression, and to this day my memory of him hoarding […]
22
Apr
Apr
This year of 2020 is a particularly difficult time in the world. Indeed, it’s a time of crisis. Just a few months ago, this hysterical news would have sounded like Orson Welles’ “War of the Worlds” did back in 1938. My friends, not knowing what the future holds touches all of us. We all need […]
01
Apr
Apr
In a post from about six years ago, I wrote about feasting (and I do mean feasting) on paella at a restaurant called Trader Vic’s in Puerto Rico. It was a truly memorable and romantic evening in February. Back in early 1960s, many in-the-know New Yorkers would jet off to sunny Puerto Rico to escape […]
12
Mar
Mar
This post is about a treasured recipe: the best pomodoro sauce ever! Pomodoro translates to “golden apple,” although we know it is the Italian word for tomato. This sauce, which is everywhere, really is the golden apple of Italy. (Word origins do fascinate me.) My family has enjoyed this recipe for generations on traditionally lazy […]
27
Feb
Feb
Ask Chef Phyllis It seems like just yesterday it was New Year’s Day, but as I glance at the calendar, I see that we’re already at the end of February! Any time now, these slow, bitterly cold, never-enough-sunlight days will be coming to an end. However, though spring is just around the corner, winter is […]
13
Feb
Feb
Now that we’re already into the second month of 2020, perhaps it’s about time that I write one of my “that’s-the-makings-of-yet-another-post” post, as I’m fond of saying. (My regular readers surely know what I’m talking about—and any new readers will know soon enough!) There may be many of these over the coming year, but for […]
09
Jan
Jan
Ask Chef Phyllis It’s the time of year that my husband goes fishing in British Columbia with his buddies. He comes home with great fish, but I’m tired of making and eating it the same old way. I usually dip it in pancake and beer batter and fry it. I’m thinking that deep-fat frying isn’t […]
29
Nov
Nov
I could have just as easily titled this blog post “Why No One Turns Down a Dinner Invitation in Italy.” That’s right—no matter the hour, no one in their right mind would turn down a dinner invitation in Italy. In fact, my son Billy tells me that it would an insult to do so. During […]
22
Nov
Nov
Ask Chef Phyllis This is the time of year I start thinking about turkey. I roast a large bird for our family (about 22–25 pounds), because they enjoy seeing a whole bird on the table, like a picture postcard. However, they don’t really enjoy the drumsticks and other dark meat, which we sometimes save for […]